Hi Gang, my daughter has a 2000 with the V6. It is a great car but has been leaving her stranded occasionally.
When cold it starts and drives great. If you stop and start it back up it will once again drive fine. If you drive in freeway traffic and stop and wait 15 minutes, once again, no problem. But, if you drive in traffic running several errands around town on one of the stops if you leave it off for approximately 15 minutes it will not run. It will try to fire, a muffled cough and occasional spit but will not continue to run. She says eventually it will not even turn over so she leaves it for a period of time and then goes back and it starts no problem. I am having a tough time as I have only been able to duplicate her complaint once. It failed to start with no gas peddle. I gave it about 1/3 to 1/2 gas peddle and although it did cough a few times it eventually fired and smoothed out. I drove it around the block, shut it off and it fired right back up with no problem. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help in advance, Bob

 

Mileage?

 

Main relays commonly act as you have described.

 

Agreed, main relay

 

Easy way to test if main relay. Get a fuel pressure tester kit from Harbor Freight. It's only $20. This shouldn't break the bank and if you don't have a harbor freight near you just order it online. They got a kit that fits our cars that is almost impossible to find at any auto parts store.

Hook it up. Maneuver the gauge so it reads on the windshield. Gently close the hood over it so it holds it facing you. Watch it and when the car dies on you see if there is no fuel pressure.

Main relays are really hard to test because of the nature of how they fail is simply the solder heats up at a bad spot and opens up. By the time you try to test it the solder has cooled and is working again. It's similar with ignition switches. Unless it completely opens up permanently you will have a hard time testing it.

This actually sounds more like a failing/overheating ignition control module.

 

It's easier to test for battery voltage at the fuel pump when it wont start, it's under the back seat.

 

Not on the accords.

 

Used to happen in my 90 integra. Main relay fixed that issue.

 

Some of the v6's in this gen have an issue with vapor lock. There is Service Bulletin (00-024) about this.

 

Here is the write up, couldn't find it a few minutes ago. It talks about a new FPR and also a PCM update....others have done different things. I remember someone getting the fuel rails and that from an Ody and installing them, they have a different flow design.

 

Thanks Guys, I will pursue the recommendations when she returns from college this weekend. She just called, once again stranded, and it is killing me. Although shes in a good part of town "I don't want this to be a problem," if you know what I mean. Where is the "main relay" located.

 

main relay is under the driver side dashboard. look around above the gas pedal, should be a little black box and by little i mean around the size of a piece of 2x4 on a metal bracket. it should slide off

 

Link on how to test and repair a main relay:
http://techauto.awardspace.com/mainrelay.html

Happened to me. I ended up just replacing it.